Vocal Responses in Heighted States of Arousal

Summary Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate electroglottography (EGG) contact quotient modulation with emotional state in the presence of increased arousal. Study Design A within-subject reversal paradigm using multiple experimental conditions. Methods A total of 11 healthy undergraduate students underwent emotion induction with intermittent startles to increase physiologic arousal. During emotion induction, they vocalized on the vowel /u/ while EGG was recorded. Results EGG contact quotient was significantly greater for negative emotions compared with positive emotions with increased arousal commensurate with past research. In addition, overall EGG contact quotient was greater with elevated arousal. However, the effect sizes were small. Conclusions EGG contact quotient appears to increase with elevated arousal and be greater for negative mood states than positive mood states confirming that emotion states directly influence vocal functioning.